Replies

London Threatens – 2-3
Statement of Prime Minister Chamberlain to the House of Commons – 4-6
Text of Ultimatum to Reich – 6
Death in Reich for Telling ‘False’ Foreign Radio News – 6
Developments in Europe – 7
Bulletins on European Conflict – 8-10
Reich is Closing In – 11
Hitler Expected to Reject Terms – 12-13
Roosevelt Pledge – 14-15
Poles Hold Fast, Warsaw Reports – 16-17
Poles Accept War with Great Calm – 17
Spain is Expected to Remain Neutral – 18
Slovak Minister Shares Polish View on Protest – 18
‘War Industries’ Buoy the Markets Here; Stocks and Commodities Up, Bonds Slump – 20
Fleeing Tourists Jam Arriving Ship – 20-21
Financial Markets – 22
Roosevelt Delays on Congress Call – 23
Bund’s Map of Poland Already Changed by Kuhn – 23
Quick Nazi Victory Seen in Yorkville – 24
Soviet Pact Signing Held German Signal – 24
Umbrella Motif in Paris Fashions – 28-29
Holiday Crowds Mill To and From the City – 29
Tragedy in Europe (Editorials) – 30-31

If Obama were President then he’d call on Germany and Poland to end the cycle of violence.

http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=30

22.08.1939 - 27.09.1939
First Sailing - active patrol
U-30 left Wilhelmshaven under the command of Fritz-Julius Lemp on 22nd Aug 1939 for operations in the North Atlantic and arrived at return on 27th Sep 1939 after just over five weeks.

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1939/sep39/f02sep39.htm

In Poland... Troops of German Army Group South (Rundstedt) troops are already over the Warta River in many places after rapid but expensive victories in the frontier battles. Krakow is now near the front line. In the north, 4th Army (Kluge) makes contact with the Third Army (Kuchler) from East Prussia. Two Polish divisions are destroyed while attempting to pull back through the Corridor. The Luftwaffe is spreading chaos in the Polish rear. The Polish regular troops have been stationed too far forward so the German advance is soon in their rear areas, preventing movement of reserves and completely dislocating any communication left unscathed by the repeated German air strikes in support of the ground forces. There are 6 air raids on Warsaw.

In London... Throughout the day there are frantic talks about how to oppose Germany. The British Parliament is openly opposed to the passive line that the Chamberlain government is taking and in the evening, the Cabinet decides to present an ultimatum to Germany. The National Service Act is passed, allowing for the conscription of all men aged 19-41.

In Paris... Deliberations on how to oppose the German invasion of Poland are held throughout the day. A French government decides to transmit an ultimatum to Germany. The government declares that it will fulfill its obligations to Poland.

In France... The British RAF Advanced Air Striking Force arrives. Some 10 bomber squadrons are involved in the deployment.

In Rome... Mussolini again declares Italian neutrality and calls for a 5-power peace conference.

In Berlin... The German government announces that Norwegian neutrality will be respected, provided that Britain and France do the same. Hitler rejects an offer to mediate the German-Polish dispute, made by Mussolini on August 31st and the proposal for a peace conference.

In Dublin... The Irish government declares its neutrality.

In Bern... The Swiss government orders a general mobilization.

Very detailed stuff here.

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/DAP-Poland/Campaign-III.html

Third Army Operations, 2 September

Tczew (Dirschau) was taken by an engineer task force of Third Army at dawn on l2 September, but the city’s vital bridge across the Vistula was destroyed by the Poles. The task force, known as Group Medem, was unable to seize a crossing and Army Group North had to direct other units to effect crossings at Gniew (Mewe) and near Marienwerder. Third Army’s XXI Corps fought off heavy Polish counterattacks in its advance toward Grudziadz on 2 September. The bridge across the Vistula at Grudziadz was kept under artillery fire to prevent crossing

the Poles and the corps prepared to make concerted attacks against the city from north and east the following day.

On the Mlawa front I Corps failed to make any further progress, but Corps Wodrig units broke through Polish field fortifications east of the fortress city and pushed south. Panzer Division Kempf was promptly detached from the I Corps and shifted eastward to support Corps Wodrig in its advance. The Third Army plan for the force moving on Warsaw was quickly revised. Corps Wodrig was to execute an enveloping movement to take the Polish units defending Mlawa in the rear, while the 1st Cavalry Brigade secured the exposed left of the corps as it turned in its swing to the west. The two corps and the cavalry brigade would resume their southward movement in line after destroying the Polish force at Mlawa or compelling it to withdraw.

Fourth Army Operations, 2 September
Fourth Army crossed the Brda during the second day of hostilities, advancing within a few miles of the Vistula. The apprehensions about a strong Polish defense line along the Brda did not materialize. The success of the German advance was threatened for a few hours, however, when Panzer elements of XIX Corps outran their gasoline and ammunition supply. The Poles failed to gain any but a temporary advantage from this situation, and German supply columns fought their way through withdrawing Polish units to the stalled tanks.

Fourth Army gains of 2 September sealed off the Pomorze Army’s 9th Infantry Division and Pomorska Cavalry Brigade, and the 27th Infantry Division, which had been identified farther east in the Corridor. The two Polish infantry divisions were destroyed in a number of attempts to escape through the line formed by the German forces that had crossed the base of the Corridor. The cavalry brigade was shattered in a series of charges against XIX Corps’ armor, pitting mounted lancers against tanks.

The 10th Panzer Division of the army group reserve was shifted to the northeast across Fourth Army’s rear on 2 September. Bock planned to effect a crossing in the northern area of the Corridor with a strong Panzer force as soon as possible.

From Robin Neilands' "The Bomber War":

"...The Germans sent some 2,000 aircraft into Poland on 1 September, of which 897 were bombers or dive-bombers. Apart from their ground-support role, as 'flying artillery', and the rapid destruction of the 300-strong Polish fighter force, in the air or on the ground, the Luftwaffe was also used to attack Polish cities.

"The first of these was the town of Dzialoszyn, which was bombed and dive-bombed to support ground operations launched by the German IX Corps, which 'took the city without loss.' Polish civilian losses are not recorded..."

I'll stop here for now. Note the number of warplanes -- 2,000 of which nearly 1,000 are bombers. Bombing of Warsaw first began on September 8, culminating on Sept 25 with over 1,000 sorties, reducing large portions of Warsaw to rubble and forcing its surrender.

In Poland, Germans have begun to sow the wind. They will eventually reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)

Homer, that’s a lot of homework to read today! I’m at work so I’ll have to get to it later.

However, the map at 26 is fairly accurate for day 2. It does show Army Group North’s attacks to cut the Corridor. It also shows Army Group South’s attacks, mainly by Reichenau’s 10th Army, although the direction is a bit off. The map does not show that Reichenau is carrying the main weight of the offensive. Also, they’ve missed the offensive by 3rd Army out of East Prussia toward Mlawa to open the northern route to Warsaw.

Too much media attention on Westerplatte, which while visible, was merely a sideshow.

The real fighting was in Silesia with German 8th and 10th Armies tearing into the Polish Lodz group. This only merits a blurb from the Polish General Staff about “heavy fighting in Silesia.”